


Apologies

by KaytiKazoo



Series: 2020 Prompts [25]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27464332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaytiKazoo/pseuds/KaytiKazoo
Summary: John's keeping a secret from Grant.
Relationships: John Garrett/Grant Ward
Series: 2020 Prompts [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985246
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Apologies

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 50 Day Fic Prompt, “I want an answer, goddamn it”, posted to [my tumblr.](http://kaytikazoo.tumblr.com)  
> Requested by anonymous

Grant was late getting home from work, the meeting running long and his manager wanting to go over his reviews again, and then there was picking up his packages from the post office, and there was traffic. When he finally got home, the apartment was cold, but John was already home. He put his coat up on the coat rack, and set his packages on the dining table. 

“John?” Grant called. 

“Here,” John said, standing in the kitchen at the stove. 

“Dinner’s not done yet, is it?”

“No.”

“Oh, good. Today has been insane.” He headed over to the stove and pressed a kiss into John’s shoulder,  peeking at the food John was making. “Spaghetti?”

John hummed.

“What’s wrong?” Grant asked. 

“You’re late.”

“I know. Gonzales wanted to go over the security reviews again. I tried to get home as soon as I could, but it was 5:30 on a Friday in a college town. You know the traffic is never kind.”

John didn’t respond to that.

“Can I do anything to make it up to you?”

“No, it’s fine.”

It didn’t sound fine.

“Do you want me to finish dinner?”

“No.”

“Will you talk to me about what your problem is?”

“ _ My  _ problem, right,” John said, and he shrugged Grant off of him to circle around the kitchen island. “You got out of work an hour and a half ago, and you just came home. Excuse me if I don’t believe your boss wanted to go over security reviews for that long.”

“I was. You think I’m lying?”

“Yes.”

“Jesus Christ, John. I literally had to stay late at work. Do you want me to call Gonzales and have him tell you I was doing work?”

“How do I know you weren’t fucking Gonzales?”

“Fucking – are you kidding me? You think I’m having an affair with Robert Gonzales?”

“You’re clearly fucking someone, Grant, given how much time you spend at the office when you could be at home with your husband.”

Grant let out a breath and rubbed his hand over his forehead. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me. What the fuck has gotten into you?”

John had always been a little suspicious, a little jealous. He didn’t want Grant to hang out with his friends without John there, especially not if the guys were there. He particularly didn’t like Fitz, said that they were too close. Fitz had a loving marriage, and had no interest in Grant, as Grant had no interest in Fitz. Grant didn’t really understand where that came from; he’d always been exceedingly loyal and obedient. 

“I was wondering the same thing about you, Grant. We have a good life. I provide for you, pay our bills, buy the groceries, pay for your little building habit.”

“My building – I pay for that.”

“No, you really don’t. I put the funds in your account. You don’t make enough to even cover our rent.”

“That’s not true.”

“Oh, no?”

John left the kitchen, and Grant followed him through the apartment to the study where he was taking out files from the safe. He methodically spread them out over the desktop and gestured.

“Go for it. See for yourself.”

Grant circled the desk and picked them up one by one. Each bill, each statement, they didn’t add up. They couldn’t, not even on John’s salary. 

“What is this?” he asked. “How is this possible?”

“You really thought we lived like this on your pathetic salary, Grant?”

“No, I thought we were splitting things.”

“Oh, baby boy,” John said with a chuckle. “No.”

“How do you afford this, then? Huh? You make a lot but not  _ this much _ , Jonathan.” He shook the stack of pages in his hand at John. “What the fuck is this?”

“Grant, there are things that I can’t tell even you, things that you cannot know about.”

“That’s not an answer. I want an answer, goddamn it.”

“I have connections with some very powerful people who compensate me for my time and skills quite handsomely. It’s fine.”

“John. That’s not an  _ answer _ .”

“Darling,” John said, touching Grant’s jaw and stroking over his cheek. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Do you trust me to take care of you, and our home, and give you the future you deserve?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” John kissed him, and every kiss was like the first time, settling and eye-opening. They’d been together so long, since Grant was basically a kid, that it was a miracle when things were new and exciting still. “Let me take care of you, okay? Let me be your breadwinner. Let me pay your bills, and give you a nice house, and love you the way that you absolutely deserve, the way I always have.”

Grant hummed into his space.

“Is it the mob?”

“It’s not the mob,” John replied with a small laugh. “Don’t concern yourself. If you don’t know, nothing can fall on you. Okay? Let me carry this.”

Grant let him kiss him, let him distract him, let him carry his worries away. 

“I have one request in return,” John said. “Don’t be late like that again. I want you home. If I can’t trust you, I can’t take care of you.”

“Yes, sir,” Grant replied, and kissed John as an apology. It was worth the apology if he got to keep John Garrett. 


End file.
